Folding box or crate



C. F. FEHLING.

FOLDING BOX 0R CRATE. APPLICATION FILED MAR-1, 1921.

1,394,295, Patented 00t.1 8,1921

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C. F.- FEHLING.

FOYLDI-NG BOX 0R CRATE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I. 1921.

1,394,295. Patented Oct. 18; 1921.

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FOLDIEIIG BOX 0E CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed March 1, 1921. Serial No. 448,908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnnrs'rmn F. FEELING, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Juneau, in the county of Dodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes or Crates, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide a box or crate of the folding or collapsible type wherein the members thereof may be arranged in the most compact form to provide a package of the minimum bulk, compared with the normal or extended capacity of the receptacle, and wherein all of the parts or members are permanently connected to provide against loss or displacement and the necessity of making selection when the receptacles are to be set up for use; and furthermore to provide a device of this type wherein, when folded or collapsed, the parts are so related or positioned as to be protected against injury in transferring and stacking the same and thus insured against damage by the rough usage to which such articles ordinarily are subjected; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lOOX or create embodying the invention in its normal or set up condition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view in its folded or collapsed condition.

Figs. 3 and at are vertical sectional views taken in planes at right angles to each other of the box in its normal position.

Figs. and 6 are similar views respectively of Figs. 3 and 4 with the box in its folded or collapsed condition.

The receptacle consists essentially of a base or bottom 10, oppositely disposed walls which for convenience may be designated as end walls 11 and side walls 12, and a top or cover 13. It will be understood that whereas the box may be made of substantially square form in plan, as indicated in the drawing, so that accurately speaking there may be no distinction in size between the side and end walls so termed, the receptacle is capable of being built in an elongated form wherein the length may bear any preferred relation in dimensions to the width, and likewise may be made of any preferred depth, to suit the character of the products or merchandise to be transported or packed therein, the reference to side and end walls has been adopted as a matter of convenience in designation, although those walls which are herein designated as side walls may become the end walls and the end walls herein so designated may become the side walls, without involving any essential change in the relations of the parts.

One of the so called side walls, which may be further termed the front wall'to distinguish it from the opposite side wall which carries the top or cover 13, is preferably hinged directly to the base or bottom wall 10 as shown at 1%, and the hinges employed in this connection are preferably of the elongated or strap type as shown with the leaves thereof secured to and spanning the side wall. and base or bottom throughout their widths to form cleats or braces to resist any tendency of the wall to split, or to hold the members in their proper positions in the event of splitting. and also to permit of the construction of the walls of slats or of separated elements when a ventilated structure is required. 1

The opposite side wall or rear wall is hinged at 15 upon a strip or cleat 16 rising from and rigidly secured to the base or bottom and of a depth substantially equal to the thicknesses of three of the walls of the boX or crate, while the opposite end walls 11 are hinged as at 17 upon strips or cleats 18 and 19 also rigidly secured and rising from the base or bottom and of graduated depths respectively less than the strip or cleat 16, corresponding respectively with one and two thicknesses of the walls. Thus in collapsing the box the front side wall 12 which is binned directly to the base or bottom may be folded inward to lie in surface contact with the base or bottom, whereupon the end walls carried respectively by the strips or cleats 18 and 19 may be successively folded in ward, the former to lie in contact with the front wall 12, and the latter to fold over the opposite end wall, after which the other side or rear wall may be folded over the end wall which is carried by the cleat or strip 19, to the end that the four upright walls of the receptacle, to wit the side and end walls are arranged in parallelism and in surface contact respectively and combined represent a thickness or depth not exceeding the sum of the thicknesses of the base and said four walls. r

The top or cover is of sectional form, consisting of a plurality of members of which three are shown in the drawing designated respectively as 13 13 and 13 hinged together as indicated at 20 by strap hinges of which the leaves jointly span the top or cover throughout its width and are joined to the leaves of the hinges 15 which connect the rear wall with the cleat or strip 16 which in turn are connected to the leaves of the hinges 17 which connect the end walls with their supporting cleats and strips and in turn extend throughout the widths or depths of said walls to effect a complete internal wall spanning bracing for the receptacle.

In its folded or collapsed condition the section 13 of which is directly connected to the upper edge of the rear side wall of the box supplements said side wall in covering the exposed surface of the uppermost end wall, or in other words that end wall which is carried'by the supporting strip or cleat 19. The intermediate section 13* of the top or cover lies in a position covering the edges of the front sideiand end walls, while the terminal section'lil of the top or cover folds under the base or bottom and lies in parallelism with the under surface thereof, the entire package being held folded by a strap 21 or its equivalent rigidly secured at one end as at 22 to the intermediate section of the top or cover, passing through a keeper 23 on the outer surface ofthe supporting cleat or strip 16 and adapted after completely encircling the package to be secured at its free end by a tack or staple 24 driven into the intermediate section 13* of the top or cover, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. From the above description it will be ob vious that a box or crate constructed as in dicated is achapted when collapsed or folded to occupy an area which is substantially equal to that of the base or bottom of the crate when extended and a thickness or depth which is eqal to the combined thicknesses of the base and the four walls, so that the cost of return shipment to enable the box or crate to be used repeatedly in transportation of goods from the point of origin to the market is reduced to the minimum. Obviously by employing a slatted construc tion the weight may be correspondingly minimized.

For'maintaining the side and end walls in their proper relations at their upper or free edges any suitable fastening means may be employed such as hooks 25 for detachably engaging staples or eyes 26.

Having described the invention what is claimed as new and useful is z 1. A box or crate having a base or bottom and hingedly mounted inwardly folding side and end walls carried by the base, and a top or cover hingedly connected with the upper edge of one of said walls and being of sectional construction with its sections hinged together to fold around the edge portions of the folded walls and bottom.

2. A box or crate having a base or bottom and hingedly mounted inwardly folding side and end walls carried by thebase,and a top or cover hingedly connected with the upper edge of one of said walls and being of sectional construction with its sections hinged together to fold around the edge portions of the folded walls and bottom, a retaining strap being arranged in a plane perpendicular to the hinged edges of the sec tions of said top or cover to embrace the folded walls and bottom.

3. A box or crate having a base or bottom and hingedly mounted inwardly folding side and end walls carried by the base, and a top or cover hingedly connected with'the upper edge of one of said walls and being of sectional construction with its sections hinged together to fold around the edge portions of the folded walls and bottom; the hinges connecting said sections having strap leaves disposed in spanning relation respectively with the bottom walls and top.

4. A box or crate having a base or bottom and hingedly mounted inwardly folding side and end walls carried by the base, and a top or cover hingedly connected with the upper edge of one of said walls and being of sectional const'uction with its sections hinged together to fold around the edge portions of the folded walls and bottom, the hinges connecting said sectionshaving strap leaves disposed in spanning relation respectively with the bottom walls and top and secured together at their points of intersec tion.

5. A box or crate having a base or bottom and hingedly mounted inwardly folding side and end walls carried by the base, and a top or-cover hingedly connected with the upper edge of one of said walls and being of sectional construction with its sections hinged together to fold around the edge portions of the folded walls and bottom, one of said walls being hinged directly to the base or bottom, and the remaining walls being separated therefrom' by graduated interposed strips or cleats ri idly secured to the base or bottom.

6. A'box or crate having a box or bottom and hingedly mounted inwardly folding side and end walls carried by the base, and a top or cdver hingedly connected with the upper edge of one of said Walls and being of sectional construction with its sections hinged together to fold around the edge portions of the folded Walls and bottom, one of said Walls being hinged directly to the base or bottom, and the remaining Wells being separated therefrom by graduated interposed strips or cleats rigidly secured to the base or bottom, said strips or cleats being of rel- 10 ture.

CHRISTIAN F. FEHLING. 

